Library Technical Services

LTS Priorities, 2007-2009

(September 2007)

Vision

 

Library Technical Services (LTS) seeks to be recognized as a team of experts who are central to the Library's mission and its digital future. We are known inside and outside the Library for our innovation, teamwork, productivity, and problem-solving skills. We work in an environment of respect, support, and continual learning. Our divisional priorities reflect the Library's priorities, support the Library's mission, and will evolve as the role of the Library evolves.

 

Mission

 

LTS will keep the collections vital and up-to-date by procuring new library materials and organizing them for easy and convenient use.  We will maintain the Library's online catalog, e-resource discovery systems, and numerous searching and finding tools for special and digital collections.

 

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Priorities

 

I. Content: Acquire enduring access to both electronic information and physical artifacts

 

Providing enduring access both economically and efficiently requires LTS managers to find the best financial and customer service terms from library materials suppliers throughout the world, to harvest all available bibliographic description for import into our local catalog, and to develop or adapt new technologies to enhance work flow efficiencies and reduce processing time and costs. See below for more information.

 

II. Services: Provide enriched access to information resources via a state-of-the-art infrastructure and innovative services

 

Seeking to improve and expand the Library's technology infrastructure for patrons who require and expect ever more sophisticated electronic tools for scholarship, LTS fields an organization of information professionals who keep pace with current technology and lead the way in providing innovative services to our patrons. Click here for more information.

 

III. Outreach: Extend outstanding service to established and newly defined Cornell University clientele

 

While continuing to satisfy the heightened expectations of our current clientele for expert development of systems for discovering and accessing library resources in all media, LTS seeks to expand our service mission to new clientele within the university's sphere of interest. Click here for more information.

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I. Content

1. Expedite orders for all materials and initiate the process to secure online access within 48 hours of their identification for purchase.

2. Monitor existing orders to ensure timely delivery of materials, from vendor to patron.  Provide basic order status information to individual requesters whenever possible.

3. Identify opportunities to leverage the costs of access negotiation, resource processing, and content purchase by joining peer institutions in consortial arrangements.

4. Collaborate with selectors to reduce processing costs by identifying new resources through methods such as approval plans, online aggregated collections, and tools such as WorldCat Selection.

5. Collaborate with selectors to seek the best library user access terms from information providers through firm, but fair, license negotiation.

6. Address the licensing implications of the Library's expansion of services to extended user communities, including the Weill Medical Library, by modifying license agreements as needed, expanding support of licensing activities, and providing licensing consultation to Cornell colleagues engaged in developing programs relying on digital resources.

7. Promote processing efficiencies through vendor-supplied MARC records, EDI invoicing and other innovative techniques.

8. Maintain positive relationships with vendors by ensuring fair business practices, including timely payment of invoices.
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II. Services

1. Investigate, design and implement new technologies and services to increase the value and enable the use of digital and print collections by assuming a leadership role in metadata initiatives and providing support for reference linking.

2. Cooperate in planning, implementation, and support of data management systems such as Voyager, WebFeat, Find It, and Get It, as well as the E-Resources Management System and the CUL Digital Registry.

3. Maintain zero backlog growth for print and electronic titles through a combination of automated and streamlined cataloging strategies.  Leverage enhanced access to information resources by drawing strategically on the strong educational, intellectual, and linguistic backgrounds of LTS staff.

4. Pursue inventory and retrospective cataloging initiatives to increase the visibility of our unique and rich print collections.

5. Strengthen our technology infrastructure to support greater use of automation for routine processing.

6. Communicate effectively with vendors and information providers regarding the need for full, accurate bibliographic descriptions and cataloging records for acquired collections.

7. Integrate more fully the acquisition, description, and access maintenance of digital and traditional resources, with priority accorded to electronic formats whenever appropriate.

8. Participate in usability and assessment studies to create and maintain resource discovery systems and online data that respond to the needs and expectations of our various users.  Strive to make the online catalog an accurate, integrated, and practical searching tool.

9. Maintain the LTS Website to reflect the current LTS organizational structure, policies and practices and meet the needs of our staff.

10. Train LTS staff to address the Library's evolving vision and collection profile, with its increased focus on electronic services and the implementation and use of innovative technologies. When necessary, or desirable, support the transition of staff to other positions.

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III. Outreach
 

1. Involve staff from all areas of LTS in an overall effort to enhance the creation, acquisition, organization, discovery, and use of digital resources, as exemplified, in part, by the Large-Scale Digitization Initiative (LSDI).

 

2. Provide long-term support to CUL for metadata creation, management, and coordination services.

 

3. Offer and promote metadata consultation services (e.g. production, development, conversion, and design) to clients beyond CUL.

 

4. Use LTS technology infrastructure for metadata automation to support CUL projects and services designed to enhance user experience.

 

5. Extend LTS expertise in long-term digital resource management and maintenance (preservation, organization, and collection curation) to all CUL units or departments.

 

6. Encourage participation in professional arenas, such as those involved in library technical services management, metadata initiatives, and digital and traditional library integration and development in order to maintain CUL's leadership in these and comparable areas.

 

7. Collaborate with Collections, Reference, Instruction, and Outreach (CRIO) and Digital Library and Discovery Services to enhance awareness and use of library resources and, in general, to provide high quality service and support to all clients.